Category structure

The structure of the database is pretty simple once you understood it. From browsing the categories you may already understand the listing structure, but for adding mixes correctly you have to think backwards.

There are 8 main categories. Date, Artist, Event, Venue, Show, Radio, Misc, Style. These are listed in the sidebar.

All those main categories have subcategories, e.g. the Artist category lists all the DJ subcategories. These list the mix pages.

That's because the mix pages are connected to the artist subcategories and the artist subcategories are connected to the main Artist category.

How are they "connected"? By linking to those categories in which the categories should appear. Now how are they linked?

An example: 2000 - Armand Van Helden @ Homelands. Click the [edit] link to see the source behind it. The category links on the bottom are the same as in the category box on top of the mix page. They link to the categories in which this mix page will appear, e.g. on Armand Van Helden or Homelands. Now click on the [edit] link on Armand's page. You'll see that this is connected to the Artist main category, just like the Homeland category is connected to the Event main category. The Artist category, which lists Armand Van Helden as subcategory, is a main category and needs no category in which it should appear. That's why it has no category links in its [edit] page.

So a slogan could be: "You list what you link to." When you link to 1999 and Jeff Mills on a mix page, that one mix page will be listed in the 1999 and Jeff Mills categories. If you link the 1999 category to the main Date category, 1999 will be listed there. Now you know that 1999 and Jeff Mills already exist and you don't need to care most of the time when adding mixes, but it will be important when you create a category that doesn't exist yet. But more about that later.

Usage in templates

For visualizing the database structure let's use an imaginary mix that uses subcategories of all main categories:

Derrick May @ WMC (Event), Crobar (Venue) - aired in the radio show "Cosmium" on Evosonic Radio on July 18th, 1996

The mix has no tracklist yet and is Tech House. According to the filename formatting table on Add a new mix page you would create a new page with the following name and order.1996-07-18 - Derrick May @ WMC, Crobar (Cosmium, Evosonic) or as Resident Advisor podcast version:1996-07-18 - Derrick May @ WMC, Crobar (Resident Advisor, RA.123)

A standard order is useful in the page name to have a consistent database and easy to read/understand mix page names. We will link every (category) information we can get from the mix name or from our knowledge. So we need to link 1996, Derrick May, WMC, Crobar, Cosmium, Resident Advisor. We do not link Evosonic in this case, because we know it was aired on Cosmium. And Cosmium was a radio show is a subcategory of the radio station Evosonic. As a result the mix page will be listed under Cosmium, but not under Evosonic. For now have a look at this:

Categorization of the mix page

→

Subcategory

→

Subcategory

→

Subcategory

[[Category:1996]]

→

[[Category:Date]]

→

none

[[Category:Derrick May]]

→

[[Category:Artist]]

→

none

[[Category:WMC]]

→

[[Category:Event]]

→

none

[[Category:Crobar (Miami)]]

→

[[Category:Venue]]

→

none

[[Category:Cosmium]]

→

[[Category:Show]]

→

none

→

[[Category:Evosonic]]

→

[[Category:Radio]]

→

none

[[Category:Resident Advisor]]

→

[[Category:Podcast]]

→

none

[[Category:Tech House]]

→

[[Category:Style]]

→

none

[[Category:Tracklist: none]]

→

none

none = There are no category links in that category edit page, because these are already main categories.

As explained above, Cosmium was a show on Evosonic Radio. Every radio show is a subcategory of its radio station, so the page of Cosmium links to [[Category:Show]] and [[Category:Evosonic]]. This way "Cosmium" is listed under the main category "Show" and as a show of Evosonic. But our Derrick May mix page would not appear directly under "Evosonic" but under the subcategory "Cosmium".

The best way to understand all this is by clicking the [edit] links so you can look at the content inside directly.

From now on we will ignore the tracklist states. See more on Help:Tracklists.

Category order

Categories follow a certain order (if given):

Year

Artist(s)

Event

Venue

Radio (Show)

Podcast

Style

Tracklist: complete / incomplete / none

Red links? : Creating a new category

Why do we want you to know that? Because this is the basic understanding for creating new categories that do not exist yet.

The situation: You want to enter a new mix. It's "DJ Name @ Fuse Club, Brussels, 1999-05-28". You now should first check if the mix is already databased. Do a quick research. Since the categories 1999 and Fuse list many mixes already, you're faster searching for "DJ Name". You know he's always credited as "DJ Name" and not only "Name". When you have a result, go on DJ Name's category page and look for 1999. Ok your mix is not there. You go straight ahead and add a new mix by clicking the link in the sidebar. But for the following example we assume "DJ Name" doesn't exist yet in the database.

Now you can "Add A new Mix" and fill the template form with the relevant info. It could look like this:

You entered [[Category:Fuse]], because you searched for "Fuse Club" and got the result: "1. Category:Fuse", this is the Fuse Club you mean, so you need to use "Fuse" in order to have it listed under the Fuse category instead of creating a new "Fuse Club" category.
And you entered [[Category:Techno]] because it's a Techno mix and [[Category:Tracklist: none]] because it has no tracklis yet. Easy so far.

You hit Preview and see that DJ Name is a red link:

Everything is fine. You did a search and "DJ Name" doesn't exist yet. If it did and the name was correctly written, it would be a blue link to an existing DJ Name category. You have to create it. Ok, save the page and click the red link. You're now on the empty category page for "DJ Name". You can already see your mix page listed, because you saved the mix page. The DJ Name Category now needs to be linked to the Artist main category, so DJ Name's category will also be listed in the Artist Category. To do so, just click the green Artist button in the edit toolbar. Now save that page. Done. The same way you would create a new venue or radio show etc. Just follow the red link and enter the according main category with the according button.

The insert will give you 2 empty lines in which you could also add some information or homepage link etc. For formatting hints see Editing & formatting.

Linking DJ Name's new category to the main category was easy because we know DJ Name is an artist.

But what to do when you aren't sure about a main category? Like in "DJ Name @ Love Tribe, 1992". Was "Love Tribe" a venue or an event? You could do a quick google search for something like "love tribe dj". That may bring results for a homepage or even other DJ sets with maybe more info in the filename. If that doesn't help, just do nothing and keep the link red and do not enter any other text, but you may use [discussion] on the Love Tribe page for entering your thoughts for other users later. Keeping the link red means the category for "Love Tribe" stays unconnected with a main category, but the system recognizes that and would list "Love Tribe" on the ID Categories page. This page is filled with many of such hard cases, but it's better to keep it undefined for now than to link it to a wrong main category. This link is placed on the sidebar as well and can be viewed by other users or visitors. If they know one of these categories, they are asked to enter the correct main category link.
The later use of the ID Categories shows that you def need to add a [[Category:''Whatever'']] link in the mix page so this (undefined) info is at least visible and updatable for others.

Below some explanations about categories that need more or less special handling:

If the category page is an artist, add it to Artist by adding [[Category:Artist]].

Groups

Groups are normal bands and artist collaborations. A group category should only be created if the group name is a unique name and not an exact join of the member's artist names. It doesn't matter if each member exists as category yet. Examples:

"Spiriakos & Steen": No group category, each member is an artrist under his part of the group name

"Kruse & Nuernberg": Group category, the member's artists names are not "Kruse" and "Nuernberg".

These additional sets and floors are often not on the official line-up. We treat them like this:

The regular set

The regular set gets its regular mix page.

If a collaboration set exists, both should reference each other in the notes.

Collaboration sets with own floor/area

Collaboration sets are added additionally as own page.

The title must read the collaboration category name. This also ensures that the title differs from the possible regular set title. Examples:

@ Boiler Room x Dekmantel Festival Day 2

@ Mixmag DJ Lab, Creamfields

The page gets the main event artwork on top, no matter if the collaboration is on the line-up.

Categories are added in this order: main event, collaboration, venue. Mind the reverse order in the title.

If a regular set exists, both should reference each other in the notes.

Regular sets streamed

Another case are regular event sets streamed by a series or misc category, e.g. DanceTrippin TV. These behave like radio shows or podcasts using an event recording.

The category name can be added to the title. This is optional, stick to the category's standard.

Categories are added in this order: main event, venue, stream category.

Sponsor collaborations

Video series often make collaborations with sponsors, e.g. Mixmag and Smirnoff Sound Collective present Smirnoff House, Boiler Room x Ballentine's and Boiler Room x Ray-Ban. These are just mockups to bring the sponsor's name to the title.

The sponsor name can be ignored in page titles. Stick to the standard of the video series category.

The sponsors do not qualify as own category besides the video series category.

When you create a new radio show, it always gets 2 main category links. The standard [[Category:Show]] and the [[Category:The Radio Station Name]]. Example: Essential Mix

As you read above it can happen that a mix page is listed in the radio category instead of the show. That is the case when the show is not given with the file and can not be ID'ed in the mix itself Like in "DJ @ Club (Evosonic Radio)". Then you would link to Evosonic directly. Example.

But there are also radio shows without a steady radio station like [[:Category:Solid_Steel|Solid Steel]]. So this one has only [[Category:Show]] entered in the edit page.

Style

Define the style of the mix, using categories from the Style category list. A typical combination is

[[Category:Minimal]][[Category:Tech House]]

Don't use too many by describing every track with the style categories. When one finds a mix in Category:House he expects to hear House tracks in that mix and not e.g. mostly Pop / Rock / Disco tracks and 1 House track.

So instead, try to describe the overall feeling of the mix with 1-3 style categories. If you can't, Various may be better.

Category sorting

On category pages all mix pages are sorted by their page title. In some cases this needs to be overridden.

Category sorting rules are added behind the category name: [[Category:...|sorting rule]]. This tells the category page to sort the page as "[sorting rule] [page tile]" by adding the rule before the title.

Single artist radio show or podcast

This mix page will sort under "2010-06-26..." in all of its categories. Which is correct, except for Category:CLR Podcast: The mix page and podcast artwork should sort under the release date "2010-11-22...". Therefor you can override the category sorting by adding the date behind the category name with [[Category:CLR Podcast|2010-11-22]]:

Unknown dates in numbered podcasts

The dates of the first few episodes are unknown so all titles start with "200X".

An easy trick solves this: Those episodes sort under "002...", "003..." etc.: [[Category:The Inspirational House Mix Show|002]]. This is used until the dates are all known, then the years "20..." at the beginning of the titles sort under "0...".

This one is tricky. Some dates of the first episodes are not known exactly but can be nailed down by known dates of previous and later episodes.

Episode 02 is from 2010-11-08 and episode 08 from 2010-12-20. So all episodes inbetween have to be from November or December 2010. Overriding their sorting with |2010-1X would not work since episode 08 sorts as "2010-12...", so episodes 03–08 use |2010-X-##.

Episodes 09 and 10 are either from 2010 or 2011. Please edit the pages to see how it's solved.

Sorting in subcategories

Just as mixes you can override sorting of subcategories. But it's not really used on MixesDB since nobody really browses through subcategory lists. Use the search instead.

Renaming categories

It happens that a venue, artist, podcast or radio show etc. renames itself. Here's what to do then:

Category

What to do

Venue, Event, Show, Radio

If the change is only very small or only an addition: The old category stays, but the new name can be used in mix titles. Leave a note on the category page (Example) or as hidden text for the search.

If it's renamed to something completeley new: Create a new category and add notes to the category pages of both and link them (Example).

Podcast, Show

This applies to podcasts series and radio shows (where the name is not completely different):

All episodes should be in the same category for not breaking up the series (esp. when they're numbered). This can only be the new name.Such mass text replacements can be run by MDBot.

The old category should then redirect to the new category.

The new category page needs to read an info like The series formerly ran as "Old Name" and was renamed within the series.

Radio shows with a completely new name (and possibly new concept) should become a new category. Both should reference each other.

Artist

The new name becomes an alias category of the artist's main category (real name or previous artist name).

Advanced

Unknown other artists

Sometimes it happens that your file reads many other artists besides the main artist. When the mix is too short to really have all those artists included then surely this is the case: A stream was ripped but the ripper doesn't know which artists were streamed as well so he simply included all artists from the line-up. For not adding false information we handle it like this:

The mix page will be titled something like "YYYY-MM-DD - Main Artist, Unknown @ Club".

On the page itself a note is added that the file includes other artists but it is not clear which. A template is used for this (see below).

Aka and typical typos

If you know often used variations of the spellings, aka's and typical typos people make when they search for an artist or any other category, there's a way to make those searchable without displaying them in the category text.
It makes sense to add aka's to the artist's category page text so these are searchable as well. But people often write Ellen Alien while it's written Allien. Searching for Ellen Alien wouldn't return any results. Since it also makes no sense to add this to the page text we can add a hidden comment to her category page and 'Alien' will be searchable as well: <!-- Ellen Alien -->.Other examples: Clorophilla, Jus-Ed.

Sponsors in venue and event titles

We don't add sponsors in titles as they are often after the venue or event existed for a while and even removed when the sponsor jumps off. We don't care about these. Examples:

Disambiguation pages

Some categories have a very general name like "Audio": This could be an artist, a venue, event or show etc. (examples).

To prevent conflicts we create disambiguation pages. They inform you why this cannot be a category page and list related categories.

You are then asked to pick an existing category page or create a new category page.

New category page titles should have explaining info text in brackets, e.g. "Category:Some Club (City Name)" or "Category:Name (DJ)".

To create such a disambiguation page add {{Disambiguation}} to the category page and save it.

Sometimes the category name can be an alias or have a different spelling. To list such categories, use |meanCat1=.... E.g. Category:Mono would not find Category:M.ono.

This can be used up to meanCat3.

FAQ

I added a new mix page and have a red link!

The category doesn't exist yet or is a redirect page. Be sure the name is correctly written and does not exist yet under a different name (search or browse the according category). If it doesn't exist yet you need to create the category by linking it to the main category, therefor enter one of those main categories from the green buttons in the edit toolbar.
Mind that radio shows need special treatment. more

How does MixesDB define podcasts?

On MixesDB, a podcast is a series of mixes published more or less regulary on a website. The episodes are done by various artists and have the artist and podcast name in the title. The series is very often numbered.

Most podcasts have an RSS feed. But that's not a 100% criteria to define a podcast, because a DJ can also "release" his promo mixes on his homepage via RSS. A download option is also not mandatory.

Most podcasts have "dedicated artwork": Each episode has an own artwork reading the artist name and/or episode title. Non-related images, which read no info about the podcast or episode, are mostly googled and added mandatorily because "all podcasts have artwork, so I add some image and it will look cool on the peoples' mp3 player". Some hosting services simply require artwork in the upload form, so the user has to add some image. Those are not added on the mix page.

Not a podcast:

The term "podcast" became a standard term after the breakthrough of podcasts in 2005/2006 and is sometimes used wrongly by DJs as synonym for a mix or "Promo Mix" they spread online. E.g.
"2018-03 - DJ Artist - March Podcast" should be added as
"2018-03 - DJ Artist - March Promo Mix".On the other hand an artist's promo mix can of course be "released" as podcast... If the mix was previously available as that "Promo Mix", the podcast should be added as repeat of the promo mix (example).